The new cast of ABC's guilty pleasure Bachelor Pad 3 was announced Thursday morning – and some of the most infamous former contestants from the match-making series are among them.

First off, last season's winner Michael Stagliano, who witnessed his former fiancée Holly Durst fall in love with Blake Julian during the summer 2011 production, will be back. (Durst and Julian tied the knot on June 2.)

Stagliano is hoping to repeat his victory while competing against current Bachelorette villain Kalon McMahon, who Emily Maynard sent packing on Monday's show after he referred to her 6-year-old daughter Ricki as "baggage."

Also setting up house this season: Ed Swiderski, who proposed to season five Bachelorette star Jillian Harris, and Reid Rosenthal.

In addition to well-known former Bachelor and Bachelorette contestants, five "super fans," who were selected from an open casting call held earlier this year, will move into the mansion for a shot at the $250,000 grand prize.

LET THE GAMES BEGIN, AS FIVE SUPER FANS JOIN "BACHELOR" FRANCHISE VETERANS MICHAEL STAGLIANO, ED SWIDERSKI AND KALON MCMAHON TO COMPETE FOR LOVE AND MONEY ON SEASON 3 OF HOT SUMMER SERIES "BACHELOR PAD," PREMIERING MONDAY, JULY 23 ON THE ABC TELEVISION NETWORK

The Bachelors and Bachelorettes Compete In Their First Challenge, "Falling for Love"

"Episode 301" - Hosted by Chris Harrison ("The Bachelor," "The Bachelorette"), "Bachelor Pad" returns MONDAY, JULY 23 (8:00-10:01 p.m., ET) with a new season, joining together some of the most memorable and controversial characters from the "Bachelor" franchise. Five "Super Fans" found through an open casting call, will spice it up in the mansion and compete for love and money against veteran bachelors and bachelorettes. The group heads to the mansion to live, scheme and connive as they compete for $250,000 - and possibly another chance at love. In the first group challenge, "Falling for Love," the men and women couple up and try to keep each other from falling out of quickly tilting hearts hoisted high up off the ground. The winning couple is safe from elimination, but the couple that falls first will each carry a vote against them into the rose ceremony.

Each week the contestants will square off in head-to-head challenges to compete for immunity and the opportunity to go on a date with contestants of their choice. The winner of each challenge will then grant immunity to one of his or her dates via the presentation of a rose. At the end of each episode, the contestants will vote amongst themselves - the men will vote off a woman and vice versa -- to determine which cast members will be eliminated from the competition.

The 20 contestants set to lay it all on the line for love and/or money are:

The Women

LINDZI COX ("The Bachelor" Season 16, Ben Flajnik) Lindzi has not been heard from since she was rejected by Ben Flajnik on that fateful day. She was heartbroken, and buried herself in work and her passion -- horses. But Lindzi is determined to move on. She does not care for anyone that gossips and is ready to compete for money and love. Occupation: Development Manager Age: 27 Residence: Bellevue, WA

BLAKELEY JONES ("The Bachelor" Season 16, Ben Flajnik) Last time Blakeley did not get along with the women in the house. She admits that she probably could have done a better job of making friends, but now she's not here to make friends. Blakeley is here to win all the money.Occupation: Esthetician Age: 34 Residence: Charlotte, NC

SARAH NEWLON ("The Bachelor" Season 11, Brad Womack) This girl does not want her 15 minutes of fame to end. She is single and ready to mingle, and eager to get in the mansion to hang out with the hot single men. A friend of Erica Rose, she knows she needs to do anything to stay in "Bachelor Pad." Sharing the mansion with Reid should also be interesting since Sarah shared an intimate kiss with Reid while he had a girlfriend. Occupation: Bar Manager Age: 28 Residence: St. Louis, MO

JAMIE OTIS ("The Bachelor" Season 16, Ben Flajnik) The last time we saw Jamie, she had an awkward kiss with Ben before being sent home. Jamie has made a lot of changes since she has been on the show. A mother figure to her siblings, when she got home Jamie realized that her siblings were growing up and can live without her. For once she is living her life as and for herself. Jamie also thinks Jaclyn is toxic. Occupation: Registered Nurse Age: 25 Residence: New York, NY

ERICA ROSE ("The Bachelor" Season 9, Prince Lorenzo Borghese)Erica was a presence on "Bachelor Pad 2," speaking the truth and stirring the pot. But after being voted off and sent back home, she is now ready to return and win the money all for herself. She also has a love/hate relationship with Kalon, who is from her hometown. Occupation: Law Student Age: 29 Residence: Houston, TX

JACLYN SWARTZ ("The Bachelor" Season 16, Ben Flajnik) Jaclyn is super competitive, smart, manipulative but well liked amongst the cast, despite being a self-proclaimed mean girl. This smart-mouthed woman will tell it like it is, but still stay on everyone's good side to ensure that she is kept in the house. However Jaclyn thinks Rachel Trueheart wants to be just like her. Occupation: Account Manager Age: 27 Residence: Newton, MA

RACHEL TRUEHEART ("The Bachelor" Season 16, Ben Flajnik) Rachel narrowly escaped going home on the 2-on-1 with Blakeley, but still remained closed off, which ultimately led to her demise. Now she is back, and finally open to love - and even more open to taking home a lot of money. But this could be a challenge since Jaclyn gets really annoyed with Rachel. Occupation: Executive Assistant Age: 27 Residence: New York, NY

BRITTANY AND ERICA TALTOS (Super Fans) These two are the definition of double the trouble and double the fun. They're in it for the money and maybe to find a guy, but nothing serious. Erica has the reputation for being the smarter, more conservative twin. She is still a virgin and has not dated much. Brittany, however, could not be more unlike Erica; she is the flirtatious, boy-crazy twin. As fans, the twins think Erica is snobby, boring and not pretty. Occupation: Students Age: 22 Residence: Gainesville, FL

PAIGE VIGIL (Super Fan) As a dedicated fan of " The Bachelor," Paige has preconceived notions of all previous cast members from writing " The Bachelor" recaps in her college newspaper, and admits she will be a bit star-struck. She may look sweet and innocent, but do not underestimate her; Paige will use her knowledge of the cast to her advantage. Though she will put up a good fight for the money, she ultimately hopes to find the love of her life and settle down. Occupation: Jumbo Tron Operator Age: 24 Residence: New York, NY

DONNA ZITELLI (Super Fan) This sight for sore eyes is a trifecta of beauty, personality and brains. Donna graduated third in her class, and loves drawing and writing songs. She knows people underestimate her intelligence because of her beauty - little do they know she has no problem playing it up and using her beauty and brains to win the money. Donna would love to go on a date with Michael Stagliano. Occupation: Student Age: 22 Residence: Hackensack, NJ

The Men

RYAN HOAG ("The Bachelorette" Season 4, DeAnna Pappas) Ryan is a person who stands strong in his beliefs and is one to let it be known. He did not find love on DeAnna's season, and is not going on "Bachelor Pad" to find it either - he is here for the money. He is by far one of the more handsome men in the mansion and will be an object of desire - could a possible love interest distract him from winning the cash, or will he stay focused on the prize?Occupation: High School Dean/ Age: 32 Residence: Minneapolis, MN Former NFL Player

KALON MCMAHON ("The Bachelorette" Season 8, Emily Maynard) Kalon was the villain on Emily's season. But at least he was honest. Maybe Kalon is not ready to settle down, but he is ready to dominate those inferior to him. He will charm the women, will compliment the men and will go all the way to the end just to keep the money all to himself. Plus, he is frenemies with Erica Rose. Occupation: Luxury Brand Consultant Age: 27 Residence: Houston, TX

NICK PETERSON ("The Bachelorette" Season 7, Ashley Hebert) Nick never really made much of an impression on Ashley. He was too reserved and too concerned that he would make a fool of himself. As a result, he never got the chance for love. He finally found his footing at "The Men Tell All," and now he is ready to show America and all of "Bachelor Nation" just who he is. And he's going to use his body to make sure no one votes him off.Occupation: Trainer Age: 27 Residence: Tampa, FL

TONY PIEPER ("The Bachelorette" Season 8, Emily Maynard) Tony temporarily left his son to be with the one girl he truly believed was meant for him, Emily. After having his heart broken on "The Bachelorette," he realized that there is more out there for him and is ready to find his true love. Occupation: Lumber Trader Age: 30 Residence: Portland, OR

REID ROSENTHAL ("The Bachelorette" Season 5, Jillian Harris) Reid is most remembered as coming back to propose to Jillian after she had already rejected him - only to be rejected all over again. He later found love with his long-term girlfriend of several years, with whom he just recently ended things. Plus, when he was still with his girlfriend, he hooked up with Sarah Newton, who is now living with him in "Bachelor Pad." At this point, Reid is unsure what he wants out of life when it comes to career, love or money, and hopes to figure this out in "Bachelor Pad." Occupation: Realtor Age: 33 Residence: Philadelphia, PA

MICHAEL STAGLIANO ("The Bachelorette" Season 5, Jillian Harris, "Bachelor Pad 2") Last time Michael came on "Bachelor Pad," he got the money. But sadly for him, money cannot buy happiness. Soon after taking the win, he found out that his ex-fiancé, Holly, was engaged to Blake. This time he is not going to even think about the game or the money. He is just here to meet the girl of his dreams. Occupation: Entrepreneur Age: 27 Residence: Sherman Oaks, CA

ED SWIDERSKI ("The Bachelorette" Season 5, Jillian Harris) Ed won Jillian's love and got down on bended knee, but it did not last. They gave it their all, they have no regrets, but now he is single again. He found love on "The Bachelorette," so why could he not find it again on "Bachelor Pad?"Occupation: Technology Consultant Age: 33 Residence: Chicago, IL

CHRIS BAIN (Super Fan) Chris is an animated, good ole' country boy from Georgia. He thoroughly enjoys rush-kicking in doors, taking down criminals and flashing his tats. He is very similar to a '90s action movie hero in that he wants what every hero wants - the money and pretty girl on his arm. Chris hopes to leave "Bachelor Pad" with both. Occupation: SWAT Team Officer Age: 28 Residence: Canton, GA

DAVID MALLET (Super Fan) David is a fan of the show, but an even bigger fan of women and money. As an MMA fighter, David feels right at home being competitive and has earned the name "Kamikaze" because, when he fights, he either wins or nearly dies trying. "Bachelor Pad" is the perfect arena where he will be able to dominate in both fields. He would like to hook up with Lindzi. Occupation: Real Estate Agent/ Age: 28 Residence: Hoboken, NJ MMA Fighter

CHRIS BUKOWSKI ("The Bachelorette" Season 8, Emily Maynard ) After laying it all on the line and falling in love with Bachelorette Emily, Chris had his heart broken and was sent packing. But now he's packing up his things and returning to the mansion in hopes of mending his broken heart, winning the money and maybe even falling in love with a new woman on "Bachelor Pad." If he wins the money, Chris says he'll share it with his family, but will his frenemy Kalon come between Chris and a victory on "Bachelor Pad?"Occupation: Corporate Sales Director Age: 25 Residence: Chicago, IL

I hope you don’t mind but since it’s been a busy 48 hours, I’m combining my blogs. I figure since there’s really no official blogging rules (yes, I checked) I could make up my own and so talking about the live Bachelorette finale and the premiere of Bachelor Pad in one blog is okay. Before we get to the beauty that is Pad I want to step back to Sunday night and put a bow on Emily’s season and our three-hour television event.

First of all, I absolutely loved the idea of doing the show live and creating what amounted to be one big nationwide viewing party. For me to be able to watch the show along with a live studio audience packed with fans was a thrill for me. To see it through their eyes was incredible and it reminded all of us at the Bachelor why we do this show and how much people really love it. The finale really spoke for itself so I’ll just give a few thoughts on what turned out to be one of the best seasons we’ve ever had.

That final week in Curacao was a wild one, not only because Emily decided she was choosing Jef, but because of how she decided to say goodbye to Arie. Arie is a great guy, and Emily clearly loved him and he loved her. What I found amazing — and I was glad we were able to discuss it on the live show — was how it all continued to play out after we finished taping. The fact that Arie was so in love he took it upon himself to fly to Charlotte to see Emily again speaks volumes about his feelings and his relationship with her. It really lets you know what these people are feeling and going through is real. Arie was incredibly sincere on the show. I think he handled himself well and expressed his emotions very well, but at the same time was very respectful to Emily and Jef.

Speaking of Jef, there’s not much to say about this couple that you couldn’t clearly see in their body language during the show. They love each other very much and are already off to an amazing start. Hearing the stories how Jef has spent so much time with Emily and Ricki, and how much he already loves that little girl, is amazing. Does this guarantee they will get married and stay together forever? Of course not. What they have is a great and beautiful start. They love each other very much, and have the beginning of what will hopefully be a long lasting relationship. I truly hope that it will be.

One more side note from the show Sunday night: Emily did make good on her bet with me and she did the running man! We shot it afterwards with the studio audience and I’ll let you know where you can find that online soon via Twitter.

Thank you again for making this season of The Bachelorette one of the most successful in history, and thank you for following us into Bachelor Pad. Please know that all of us at The Bachelor don’t take your loyalty and love for our show for granted, because we know it’s what keeps us going every year. Congrats to Emily and Jef. I wish you guys nothing but love and I look forward to hearing about the wedding plans very soon!

Now, let’s move on to the newest season of Bachelor Pad. It was great to be back to the mansion, as we weren’t there at all for Emily’s season. There were several interesting stories coming in, but one I particularly wondered about was why Michael decided to come back. Being the defending champ, he knew he had a target on his back, so I was looking forward to seeing how he would survive. So far, he’s right back where he left off, completely controlling the game.

The fans’ arrival was my favorite part of that first night. To see how wide their eyes got when they stepped out of the limo and saw the mansion was fantastic. They were so excited to be there, and that’s exactly what we were hoping for when we decided to bring fans into the Pad. Trying to talk to everybody and explain the rules was like trying to keep the attention of a bunch of children. Actually, to be more specific, it was like trying to keep the attention of a bunch of loud, drunk, half-naked children. Ed was a complete and utter wreck by this point in the night. I didn’t know whether to laugh or go drown him in the pool. Somehow Ed and the others survived the first night and made it to the first competition.

With everything so different this season, the competitions are going to be huge. The fact that Dave and the twins won completely changed the dynamic in the house. Well, that is, until Dave made the incredibly stupid mistake of opening his mouth and telling everyone his master plan. The fans could have easily and quietly taken control of the game if Dave hadn’t declared war on the alumni. The dynamic between Chris and Blakeley is interesting, and by “interesting” I mean “a little scary.” Blakeley got a little possessive over her partner, and I think that really drove him away. As you saw this won’t be the end of Chris playing musical partners.

Erica Rose and some of the others really made me laugh when they would talk about the fans as if they were third-class citizens who barely deserved to live, much less breathe the same air as the alums. Erica asked a good question to Dave and the fans: “Who are you?” Well, Erica, these are the wonderful people who have kept our show on the air for over a decade. These are the same people who have given you and everyone else in Bachelor Pad the gift of being there. So maybe instead of a pompous rant, a simple thank you and a hug would suffice.

Because of Dave’s terrible rookie mistake, fans Paige and “Swat” were the first to get booted from Bachelor Pad. That’s too bad because Swat is a good guy and deserved to stick around a little longer, and I really wanted to see Paige and Reid spend a little more time together to see what might happen. Battle lines have definitely been drawn, but as you saw this week, alliances mean very little in this house, and every rose ceremony is a free-for-all. This was just the tip of the iceberg this season, and you should prepare for a wild ride! As always, find me on Twitter @chrisbharrison and check out www.thebachelor.tv for new blogs by this season’s Bachelor Pad contestants.

"Episode 302" - After an edgy season premiere pitting the Super Fans against the alumni from the "Bachelor" franchise, love takes center stage on "Bachelor Pad," MONDAY, JULY 30 (8:00-10:01 p.m., ET) on the ABC Television Network.

In the second challenge, "Rhythmic Gymnastics," the women will fail to find their groove while the men will try to make up for their lack of grace with sheer attitude. On a 3-on-1 date, a fan favorite will find unexpected sparks at a rock concert with a beautiful housemate. The other 3-on-1 date features a race for a woman's heart - in a soapbox derby! Back at the mansion, the pressure mounts on all the contestants, leading to a shocking pre-dawn decision.

Hosted by Chris Harrison, "Bachelor Pad" is executive-produced by Mike Fleiss and Martin Hilton. "The Bachelor," "The Bachelorette" and "Bachelor Pad" are all produced by Next Entertainment in association with Warner Horizon Television.

We’re only two weeks in and already things are getting out of hand on Bachelor Pad. The great thing about this season is how much things have changed and will continue to change with every coming week. As soon as Paige and SWAT said their goodbyes, I expected everyone to just go to bed and get rested for the next competition — but not this group. The twins, Erica and Brittany, had been after each other all week, and no one really knew why. It was pretty clear that if these two girls didn’t calm down, they were on a path to self-destruction. More on that later.

With the Summer Olympics in London upon us, we could think of no better way to get into the spirit than with rhythmic gymnastics. When everyone came running out to the front of the mansion, their jaws dropped. The gymnasts were amazing, and our contestants knew they were going to really have to work hard to get even close to this level of performance. Once the group split off into guys and girls, it became pretty clear who the frontrunners were and who was going to struggle not to fall on their faces.

Michael, with his background in dancing, clearly proved to be the leader and really took the reins, even helping choreograph the guys’ dance. With all the superfans on the chopping block, again, David really tried to bring it — and let me tell you, he was determined — but Michael “Twinkle Toes” Stagliano managed to pull it off again. Continuing their unspoken feud, Reid and Ed valiantly battled to be the worst, and they both almost succeeded, though in the end, Ed won out in that category.

With the girls it was less clear cut. Donna the fan had probably the most extensive background, but Jamie and Blakeley really stepped up their game. Erica, meanwhile, just prayed that someone would either get hurt or pass out so she wouldn’t end up in last place. But I’ll tell you this, Erica Rose knows exactly who she is and she never acts like anyone else. What you see is what you get. And what you got in this case was a trainwreck worth watching twice. Somehow, Blakeley took the lead, smiled a lot, and never looked back, taking the rose with her.

But let’s just take a second to discuss the girls’ performance. I know it looked bad, but to be perfectly honest, it was even worse in person. They all looked like newborn giraffes, just blindly stumbling into each other. They were so bad, at one point, I started to wonder if it was all just an elaborate joke being played on our guests, the lovely Ashley, J.P., and even our guest judge, an actual Olympic medalist. So, to all the athletes currently competing in London, I only have one thing to say: On behalf of Bachelor Nation, I’m truly and deeply sorry. Carry on.

Michael got the first date and I think you can see that he is true to his word when he said he is here for love and not the money. It’s pretty clear that there is a connection building between him and Rachel, and watching that unfold should be very interesting. Michael and the girls had a great time rocking out with Adelitas Way, and it was one of those big Bachelor dates that fans like Donna had never gotten to go on before. A great night all around.

Things really started getting interesting when Blakeley decided to take David the fan on her date with Chris and Ed. It was a bold move and you can tell that Blakeley’s relationship with Chris is getting stranger by the minute. Chris seems to be playing Jamie and Blakeley against each other and, at the moment, seems to feel like he has them in the palm on his hand. The question is how long can you keep that up when you’re all living under the same roof?

As you can see, this is the wildest season of Bachelor Pad yet, and Ed may not be running the game, but he is currently running the party. He did say he was coming here to have a great time and he is definitely making the most of his time in the Pad.

Now, let’s get back to the twins. I have to say in 10 years of this franchise, I have never seen a longer, weirder, more drawn-out, and ridiculous exit than that of Brittany and Erica. They literally were fighting and screaming at each other for about four hours. Because they are operating as one person, if one of them quits, the other has to also, so after several hours of screaming and crying and name-calling and general insanity, they finally packed their bags and left. And for the first time since they moved into Bachelor Pad, everyone took out their earplugs.

Because of the unforeseen departure, only one man was set to go at the rose ceremony.

This night proves that nothing is definite in Bachelor Pad. As the night started, everyone knew that David was leaving, but within moments of opening the vote, the only two names on the chopping block were Ed and Ryan. Ed and his alliance was quick to offer up Ryan, who thought he had friends on his side. Ryan did not take it well. He had been nice to everyone, including his partner Jamie, but niceness isn’t always enough in this game. Things are going to get even crazier from here on out, believe me.On a personal note, thank you all for the birthday messages. I wish I could respond to all of them, but I’m really lucky to get to hear from so many of you, so thanks again. That’s it for this week, but until then, find me @chrisbharrison and read new blogs from our Bachelor Pad 3 contestants for even more behind-the-scenes thoughts.

Before I get into the mess that was this week’s Bachelor Pad, I want to take a moment to talk about a beautiful thing that happened to our family this week. Saturday I was honored to officiate the wedding of two of our wonderful producers, Cassie and Pete. I have watched these two grow professionally and romantically over the years, and it has been a wonderful thing to witness. This love culminated in an amazing ceremony this weekend surrounded by family and friends. It was fantastic to see and hang with so many of our happy couples at the wedding, including Ben and Courtney, Emily and Jef, and Ashley and JP. There was a lot of love in the house, and I can’t wait for the next wedding to come. I hope they are on their honeymoon and not reading this but I just want to say congratulations to Cassie and Pete — your Bachelor family loves you both very much.

This week’s Bachelor Pad was interesting to say the least.I like how the episodes start with the fallout from the previous week’s rose ceremony. Once again, the house is divided and there really aren’t any true alliances. Because there are no true alliances, winning the competitions is paramount. This week’s competition called Hot Sludge Funday took place at Calamigos Ranch in the Malibu hills. They actually shoot a ton of shows and movies at this property.

You might have noticed that during the rules I did say “still in your nut sack.” That was for my good friend Joel McHale over at The Soup, so he and his producers wouldn’t have to work so hard to find material this week. While this challenge looked fun it was actually pretty dreadful. The foam from the ice cream pit was thick and tough to get through, and it was terrible to try to breathe in as well. I really felt bad for Jamie who dominated her leg of the race, only to watch Ed put on one of the saddest athletic displays in the history of sport. Michael and David were neck and neck but in the end we determined (after looking at the tape several times) that David won the challenge.

David has become a force to be reckoned with in the house. After a not so smart start, David has become much more savvy in his game play. He took Jamie, Erica and Blakeley to the prom. Jamie walked in and proclaimed, “This is just like senior prom!” Well, that’s true… if there was only one guy at prom and you really didn’t know him that well. Jamie finally got her prom, and she finally got her rose. This seemed to be a little bit of justice served as she really got screwed at the challenge by drawing Ed as her partner and watching him not only lose the lead but lose the entire race and earn a vote against them at the rose ceremony. While prom was going on in Hollywood back at the house Ed was being… well, Ed. There are really no words to describe just how big of a white-hot mess this guy can be but you just can’t help but watch and laugh.

Rachel got the other date and took Nick, Tony and, of course, Michael. Their date took them to Madame Tussaud’s wax museum, where I was waiting to greet them. I’d like to give huge props to my makeup artist, Gina Modica, who’s been with me for years but on this night truly outdid herself. She literally turned all of us into perfect wax figures for this date. When Rachel and the boys walked in, they really thought we’d set up an exhibit. Seeing the look on Michael’s face and hearing him scream like a little girl when I scared them was priceless. It was a fun having fun with our fans that night. Easily the best moment, though, was listening to the fans ripping Tony apart right in front of him. At the end of the date Nick and Tony knew they had no shot to get the rose over Michael. Rachel and Michael obviously have a budding romance and everybody knew he would get the rose.

Back at the house more drama was brewing as Jamie decided to throw herself at Chris again. Chris, being the diplomatic ladies’ man he is, quickly gave Jamie the “it’s not you, it’s me” line. The best part is, it wasn’t even a cute version of this line. He literally said those words to her. As you saw in the previews next week Chris will continue to impress women all over the world with his charm and wit.

This week’s voting was just like all the rest, a complete free for all. The only difference was it finally seems like alliances are actually being formed and holding up during the vote. The battle and animosity between Ed and Reid was really interesting. I truly think some of this has carried over from their season and the battle for Jillian’s heart on The Bachelorette. Reid and his group really seemed to have the numbers in their favor, but this year at Bachelor Pad you can only count on the fact that you can’t count on anything or anybody. Reid and Donna were sent home in what turned out to be a very tight vote.

Now that alliances and battle lines have clearly been drawn, it will be interesting to see if anybody will stand up and do anything about it, or if like in seasons past the stronger group will continue to build momentum. I hope you all have a great week and you can always keep up with the latest Bachelor news via our website www.thebachelor.tv and you can always find me on Twitter @chrisbharrison.

THERE'S A BURNING QUESTION THAT NEEDS TO BE ANSWERED, ON ABC'S BACHELOR PAD

"Episode 304" - This week's challenge gets personal when contestants answer highly controversial questions about each other in pursuit of a rose, MONDAY, AUGUST 13 (8:00-10:01 p.m., ET) on ABC's "Bachelor Pad." Awaiting the winners are the first 1-on-1 dates - one to play ball at Dodger Stadium, the other an action packed movie adventure in downtown LA. In the meantime, drama is high at the house, as girls start fighting over the men they're coupled with, both strategically and romantically.

Hosted by Chris Harrison, "Bachelor Pad" is executive-produced by Mike Fleiss and Martin Hilton. "The Bachelor," "The Bachelorette" and "Bachelor Pad" are all produced by Next Entertainment in association with Warner Horizon Television.

"Episode 305" - Contestants compete this week to stack tea cups in a challenge aptly titled "Great Fall of China," MONDAY, AUGUST 20 (8:00-10:01 p.m., ET) on ABC's "Bachelor Pad." One-on-one dates include a jewel-splashed, "Pretty Woman"-style tour of LA and a night roughing it at a remote campsite. Love is blooming all around the house, but a shocking twist during the cocktail party sends one confident player scrambling for survival.

Hosted by Chris Harrison, "Bachelor Pad" is executive-produced by Mike Fleiss and Martin Hilton. "The Bachelor," "The Bachelorette" and "Bachelor Pad" are all produced by Next Entertainment in association with Warner Horizon Television.

CAN THE HOUSE VILLAINS SAVE THEMSELVES? WILL THE HOUSE LOVEBIRDS SURVIVE?-- THIS WEEK ON ABC'S "BACHELOR PAD"

"Episode 306" - A house rivalry heats up, leading to a surprise elimination, MONDAY, AUGUST 27 (8:00-10:01 p.m., ET) on ABC's "Bachelor Pad." The week's challenge puts the contestants up on stage to perform in a spelling bee. One-on-one dates include a romantic hoedown at a barn and a day exploring the beauty of the Channel Islands. If the couple everyone wants to see gone wins the challenge, the stronger alliance will have no choice but to cut out one of its own couples when the stakes rise.

Once again this episode starts with the fallout from the last elimination. As you can see, the anger management classes aren’t exactly working for Chris. He’s an angry little elf, isn’t he? Michael had a great line when he said Chris was taking up “all the a-hole space” in the house. You know things are getting out of hand when even Michael Stagliano thinks you’re being a dill-weed.

This week’s challenge, “The Great Fall of China,” really did seem simple when I was explaining it, but as you saw, it was pretty difficult to execute. I can’t begin to tell you how much fun we had coming up with the names of the challenges this season. To think there could be that many seemingly “intelligent” adults having a conversation about “Hot Sludge Funday” or “The Great Fall of China” is outstanding. But that’s why we get the big bucks — we’re making important decisions that will change the world for the better!

The only thing better than naming this challenge was seeing how excited Blakely was about it. She really felt her many years of training at Hooters would have prepared her for this challenge better than anyone else. But really, the only thing even better than naming these challenges and Blakeley’s excitement is how utterly annoyed Chris gets with Blakeley now. Pretty much anything and everything she does sets him off. Blakeley absolutely knows this now and seems to be having fun pushing his buttons.

As I said, the challenge was difficult and the girls were especially having a tough time with it. As anticipated, Blakeley was good and it looked like she was going to win several times but the wind was blowing hard that day and she just couldn’t get across the finish line. At one point, the women were breaking so much china, we thought we might run out. We had already cleaned out the local Bed Bath & Beyond as well as Costco. In what looked to be the mother of all upsets, Sarah crossed the finish line first but as you saw she clearly used her hand to steady the china in the middle of the course and had to be disqualified. So in the end, Blakeley did score the big victory, much to the dismay of Chris, but much to the delight of everyone who has ever worked at a Hooters. When Blakeley’s new partner, Tony, won for the boys (he claims he has never worked at Hooters, but we’re looking into this) it appeared it was all over for Chris and Sarah — but nothing’s ever that simple in Bachelor Pad.

Because Tony and Blakeley went on a date together, Kalon got a date. I’m very glad that you finally got to see more of what I think is the most shocking surprise at Bachelor Pad: Kalon and Lindzi. Who would’ve ever imagined that the mean guy from Emily’s season would end up with one of the sweetest girls from Ben’s season? It’s amazing, but somehow it works, and their relationship moved pretty quickly. If I’d told you before this season started that Kalon would be the good guy and Chris would be one of the most hated, would you have believed it?

Tony and Blakeley became new partners this week, and it appears that after their camping date that they have become much more than that. Again, who would’ve ever predicted this pairing? Like Forrest Gump said, Bachelor Pad is like a box of chocolates, you just never know what you’re gonna get. I hope all of you true Bachelor fans recognized the salty voice crooning while Blakeley and Tony were dancing to that country song. If the lyrics didn’t sound familiar or ring any bells, go back and listen to it again.

One of the most awkward moments I’ve seen this season (and that’s saying a hell of a lot) was talking to Ed about his relationship with Jaclyn. It was really a simple softball question that Ed could have easily answered without really saying too much. But in typical Ed fashion, he walked up to a bonfire and threw a tank of gasoline on it, and then was shocked that it blew up in his face. The look on Jaclyn’s face as Ed was talking would have been priceless if it hadn’t been so sad. Everybody felt terrible for her in that moment.

The twist I threw into this week’s voting really shook up the house, and in the end it completely changed this game. For two seasons now, Michael Stagliano has help dictate what has gone on at Bachelor Pad. His game plan has always been to be the quiet assassin, letting others do his dirty work. This plan has worked extremely well, but this week, because of the twist, he was forced out of that comfort zone. Stag had to force a situation and put a plan in action to save himself, and he got caught. The funny thing is, it was really a bit of a joke that brought him down. Chris, in passing, jokingly said, “Hey, I should take Erica in the voting booth with me so she can see what I’m really doing?” Well that joke turned out to be the stroke of genius that turned this game upside down.

Once Erica saw Chris vote for Lindzi, she clearly knew Michael was the one behind her departure. To Erica’s credit, I really appreciated what she did on her way out: She took down the king. I don’t know if the speech she gave was completely necessary, but I’m guessing that was just her emotions taking over in a tense situation. But I do respect that Erica did what nobody would do last season, and that’s take down the strongest player and alliance. There was a little confusion after the elimination because Rachel was really upset Michael was going home. Rachel was considering leaving with Michael and that would have really changed everything. If Rachel had left, then Erica would’ve gotten to stay and that would have made that alliance unbeatable. In the end, cooler heads prevailed and Michael talked Rachel into staying.

So, with this huge shakeup, the game is truly on. Now more than ever each challenge will truly define the destiny of everybody in the house. I leave you this week with a line from a great country and western song that seems to sum up Bachelor Pad this season: “Lovin’ you baby don’t take that long”. Have a great week and you can always find me via twitter and instagram @chrisbharrison. And don’t forget to read Bachelor Pad blogs from the cast at www.thebachelor.tv.

It was really interesting to read the reactions to last week’s elimination. Many of you respected what Erica did, and many of you were in Michael’s camp. One of the things I love about this show is the different emotions and opinions it brings out in our fans. One thing is for sure, and that is Rachel is not happy that Michael is gone, especially now as the contestants are partnered up all the way to the very end. The good news for Rachel is that her new partner Nick (I had no idea he was on this season, but apparently he has been living in the house for weeks) is a good business partner that now wants to do the same thing she does: Survive. And in an exciting twist, we not only got to see Nick, but he said these three inspirational words: “Let’s do this.”

The challenge this week was one of my favorites, the first annual Bachelor Pad Spelling Bee. I was a bit disappointed you didn’t get to see and hear the best part of the spelling bee, the three judges. Our producers had very cleverly come up with amazingly entertaining definitions and sentences for each of the words. The kids read these to the contestants before they spelled each word, but that was edited out due to time constraints. So in the end you never really got to hear much from the kids from Hogwarts. I have to say I was pretty shocked at how the spelling bee played out. I thought Kalon and Lindzi would be really good, but in fact they sucked. It came down to the final two teams, and that sudden death spell-off actually took a while. I thought at one point we were going to run out of Bachelor words. But in the end, surprisingly, Chris and Sarah won the competition. As soon as they won, you could’ve heard a pin drop in that auditorium. The only thing you could hear, actually, was Blakeley starting to cry, as she desperately wanted Chris out of the house.

Chris and Sarah were whisked away to a romantic one on one date in wine country. Meanwhile, the plotting began back at the house. I actually learned something this week as I watched a few of the girls pinky-swear on their alliance. First of all, people apparently still pinky-swear and, second it’s not official unless you then kiss the entwined pinkies. Ed and Jaclyn also got a date this week for finishing second in the competition. This was perfect, as we got to hear Ed explain to Jaclyn that it’s been a real blast sleeping with you but, “I’m kinda, maybe into somebody else back home.” He went on to explain that this is Bachelor Pad and we should continue to sleep together and have fun in this manner, and I would appreciate at the end of this if you could just forget it all and we could go our separate ways. For some reason Jaclyn, being a human being, didn’t exactly love this. I have to say I was pretty impressed with how she stuck up for herself and spoke her mind. The big story on this date beyond watching Ed verbally drown was the fact that they got to give roses out and save a couple upon their return. In a major strategic move, Ed and Jaclyn gave the roses to Blakeley and Tony.

At the cocktail party prior to the elimination, the plotting and scheming was at an all-time high. Everybody was jockeying for position and survival. Rachel, who is now partners with Nick, really had to rebound and show people they were a team that could be trusted. Much to Rachel’s horror, Nick went off the rails a bit and almost sunk their chances of survival. Rachel later explained to Nick that this is why we don’t ever let him talk on Bachelor Pad. (Okay, I’m pretty sure she didn’t, but in my mind that’s what happened.) Despite Nick’s best effort to self-destruct, the group voted out lovebirds Kalon and Lindzi. Their exit really said it all. Somehow these two polar opposites have come together and they found love. I personally think it’s great. Oddly enough, they really seem to bring out the best in each other and I wish the two of them well and look forward to getting an update on their relationship at the finale. As far as the game goes, Kalon and Lindzi played it pretty smart, just floating along and not really joining any particular alliance. But in the end that lack of loyalty cost them. Coming up next week is the final challenge leading up to the final episode of Bachelor Pad. The twists and turns aren’t over yet, and the battle between Chris and Blakeley isn’t either. As usual you can always find me on Twitter and Instagram @chrisbharrison. And remember to check out our cast blogs at www.thebachelor.tv.

A SHOCKING VICTORY IN A KARAOKE CONTEST MAY FORCE A BETRAYAL OF TWO VERY BEST FRIENDS, ON ABC'S "BACHELOR PAD"

"Episode 307" - With $250,000 close at hand, a conflicted contestant has to choose between strategy and loyalty in a last minute decision that could betray a very best friend, MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 3 (8:00-10:01 p.m., ET) on ABC's "Bachelor Pad." This week offers two challenges - the first is a sudden death dangling competition in which competitors depend on their partners' knowledge of "Bachelor Pad" trivia to keep them from plummeting down into the pool. The second is a karaoke competition, played out in front of a crowd of 500 at a legendary Hollywood concert venue - with a very special surprise guest. The couple with the roses at the end get to decide whom to take with them to the finals, but their trust vanishes when they can't agree on whether to go with loyalty or strategy.

The final episode in the house was the biggest one yet. Next week’s episode will be the finale which takes place in front of a live studio audience and I’ll talk a little bit about that later.

This week was different as we held two competitions. The first competition was a huge project. We blacked out the windows in the back of the house so the contestants couldn’t see what was going on but due to all the noise they knew something big was happening back there. Our crews worked non-stop day and night to quickly build that contraption over the pool.

This challenge was completely based on who knew the most Bachelor and Bachelor Pad related trivia. Last week we saw Chris and Sarah dominate the Spelling Bee and this week they did it again. In all fairness, it was Sarah that dominated this competition by herself. All Chris had to do was sit there and enjoy the view as each competitor fell into the pool one by one. This challenge wasn’t even close, and Sarah could’ve gone on answering questions all day. She got several questions that I didn’t even know the answers to.

While this challenge didn’t earn the couple safety it did come with the power of voting off the couple of their choice. Was there any question whatsoever that Chris was going to take out Blakeley and Tony along with her? These two really dislike each other, and the first opportunity one of them had to take the other one out it was going to happen. As soon as Chris won that challenge Blakeley knew she was done. Blakeley and Tony don’t appear to have left empty handed though. They really seem to be falling for each other. Next week I’ll get you a full update on how they’re doing and what they’re up to.

Because it was so obvious there wasn’t much emotional fallout from the first challenge, but the contestants didn’t have much time to rest as I quickly came in, in a new outfit, and notified them that the final challenge started immediately. This challenge was easily my favorite this season. First of all, being at the famous Hollywood Palladium was a real treat. But spending a few days with Night Ranger was an absolute blast. The best part was long before the cast arrived we were just hanging, listening to Night Ranger’s sound check and singing at the top of our lungs. A huge thanks to Jack, Kelly, Brad, and the rest of the band for being so gracious and just so damn cool. Also, a special shout out to Jack for pulling me into the pre-concert huddle, a Night Ranger ritual before every performance. If only for a very, very brief moment I got to live the life of a rock star.

As I said on the show, there was no chance that any of our couples were going to be any good singing one of the most iconic rock anthems ever. But I have to give them all a huge amount of credit for not only getting up on stage but for really going for it. I know that being a true rock star is everyone’s dream but actually having to do it in front of a packed house is horrifying.

Ed and Jaclyn got off to a bad start and it went downhill from there. Nick summed it up best when he said, “This song is about a brother giving advice to his sister, and they’re dry humping on stage.” Chris and Sarah really went for it. Was it just me, or was Sarah channeling her inner Elaine Benes with her dance moves? (That’s a Seinfeld reference kids, look it up.) Ed also put her dancing in perspective when he said, “It looked like a monkey being electrocuted.”

Nick and Rachel had to go first, which put a ton of pressure on them, and let’s face it, nobody expected much from Nick. Actually, if we’re being honest, most of them didn’t know who Nick was or why he was on stage. Rachel and Nick came out of the box swinging and they did a pretty good job. If Sarah was channeling Elaine Benes, Rachel was easily doing her best Molly Ringwald. (Kids: After Seinfeld, watch The Breakfast Club, Pretty in Pink, and throw in Sixteen Candles there for good measure.)

Nick and Rachel were the clear cut easy winners of the final challenge, not only earning themselves a spot in the finals, but they also got to decide which couple would be joining them. To me what came next will easily go down as the most important and pivotal moment of Bachelor Pad so far. Rachel and Jaclyn are best friends and there was no doubt that she was going to bring her and Ed with them to the finals, and if Michael were still around, that’s exactly what would have happened.

But he’s not here, and we have the wild card in Nick. Nick had a very simple clear-cut agenda: win the money. To have the best chance of winning this whole game, Nick knew that they would be better off facing Chris and Sarah and not Ed and Jaclyn. We showed enough for you to get the idea, but the decision process took a very long time. Rachel was adamant on taking Jaclyn but Nick was strong in his convictions and eventually wore Rachel down.

It was incredibly emotional at the rose ceremony. I felt really bad for Jaclyn but I also felt bad for Rachel. She got pushed into making a decision she didn’t want to make at all. She was gutted and couldn’t believe she had been led down that path by Nick. To his credit, Nick has been completely dismissed as a nobody in this game. No one gave him any thought and even Rachel in the end didn’t really want him as a partner. But somehow, some way, he has found himself in the finals facing the couple he wanted to face in Chris and Sarah.

So next week in front of a live studio audience, you will witness one of the wildest, craziest, most dramatic and devastatingly stunning shows you have ever seen. It’s an action-packed two hours that is off the rails from start to finish. We’ll tell you what really happened to Rachel and Michael after the show; Chris has to face all the women he played in the house and own up to his actions; Kalon and Lindzi will tell us what they’re up to. Oh, and there’s the little matter of a quarter of a million dollars to be handed out. I can’t emphasize it enough, you do not want to miss this! Until then, we will see you at @chrisbharrison and at www.thebachelor.tv